Gunners fire record 6

Bukayo Saka scores brace, while Declan Rice nets on return as Arsenal thrash West Ham 6-0 for new club away record victory in league

Declan Rice scored on his return to West Ham as Arsenal smashed David Moyes’ men 6-0 in a statement of intent in the Premier League title race on Sunday. Bukayo Saka struck twice, while Leandro Trossard and centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were also on target in a ruthless display from Mikel Arteta’s men as they set a new club record for a Premier League away win.

Closing in on Liverpool

Victory takes the Gunners back to within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool and behind Manchester City only on goals scored. The wheels of Arsenal’s challenge for a first league title in 20 years appeared to be coming off when they lost at home to the Hammers amid a run of one win in seven games either side of the new year.

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Declan Rice

However, they have bounced back emphatically since a two-week winter break to lay down the gauntlet to perennial title challengers City and Liverpool at the top of the table. West Ham had beaten the Gunners twice this season, also dumping them out of the League Cup in November. 

Hammers outclassed

But they were outclassed to up the scrutiny on Moyes, who is out of contract at the end of the season. Arsenal’s title challenge last season began to wobble when they blew a 2-0 lead at the London Stadium last season. 

This time there was never any doubt of the outcome once Saliba headed home Rice’s corner to open the floodgates on 32 minutes. Saka missed a penalty in that draw last April, but made no mistake from the spot after he had been brought down by Alphonse Areola. 

Rice led West Ham to Europa Conference League glory in his final game for the club before moving to north London for a fee in excess of £100 million. The England international was given a clear demonstration of why he had to make the move to fulfil his ambition of more silverware as another wicked Rice delivery was nodded in by Gabriel. 

Trossard strikes

Trossard pilled on the West Ham pain in first-half stoppage time as he cut inside to fire brilliantly into the top corner. That goal was the trigger for many of the home support to leave for the afternoon as the second half was played out in front of vast swathes of empty seats. Moyes made two changes at half-time to try and stop the bleeding as Kalvin Phillips and former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos were introduced. 

It was really tough: Klopp

Liverpool returned to the Premier League summit with a hard-fought 3-1 win over relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday after champions Manchester City briefly replaced them at the top.

The Anfield side are hunting a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title in Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge but once again have relentless City snapping at their heels. Liverpool were not at their fluent best against Vincent Kompany’s men but did enough to get over the line on what Klopp called a “super difficult” day. 

“It’s not only the three points,” Klopp told the BBC. “You cannot have momentum guaranteed all the time. Nine days ago we played incredible against Chelsea then we lost to Arsenal. It’s always a different challenge. If it’s not clicking straight away, fight through it. It was really tough today but the boys fought through and got three points,” he said.

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